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Schumer: Keep Medicare payments for ambulance providers in Upstate New York

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer Visits Syracuse Media Group

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., says Central New York ambulance providers could lose $3 million over five years in Medicare reimbursements unless Congress acts by April 1. He is pictured at an editorial board meeting of syracuse.com and The Post-Standard Monday, July 22, 2013. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer warned today that Upstate New York ambulance providers will lose $20 million over the next five years in Medicare reimbursements unless Congress acts by the end of March.

Schumer, D-N.Y., in a visit to Cortland today, said the existing Medicare reimbursements for ambulance providers will expire April 1, putting at risk $40 million over five years for ambulance providers across New York. The total includes $3 million in Central New York.

The senator said he has written legislation that would extend the program as part of larger bill to permanently adjust Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors and medical providers. The bill has passed the Senate Finance Committee, but awaits action in the full Senate.

He said the bill is necessary because Medicare payments to private, non-profit and volunteer ambulance providers will be reduced by 2 percent for urban areas and 3 percent for rural areas at the end of March. He said those reductions would make it difficult for providers to keep up with costs.

"Our ambulance providers require these reimbursements - which are already less than the cost of service - to continue to provide the highest quality of care possible and invest in the latest medical equipment," Schumer said during a visit to TLC Emergency Medical Services in Cortland.

He said Cortland County would lose about $144,000 in Medicare reimbursements over five years if Congress fails to act.

"In many cases, the quality of ambulance service and the technology on board is literally a matter of life and death, so I will spare no effort to see through the extension of these funds for Upstate ambulance providers," Schumer said.